Analysis of starch grains recovered from ancient human dental calculus provides unique insights into the spectrum of starchy plants that were available and consumed at different spatiotemporal scales. Applying this methodological approach to a dataset of dental calculus samples from 60 individuals from different Caribbean islands, we unfold new perspectives on the culinary practices from precolonial to colonial times in this region. Our phytocultural interpretations from the studied scenarios contrast with dominant historical and archaeological narratives of the Caribbean regarding the emergence and evolution of manioc-reliant plant food systems. Instead, our analysis strongly suggests that a diversity of plant-based culinary practices was in operation throughout the islands, and over time, the switching dietary role of maize and other important economic plants such as wild marunguey, manioc, bean, and sweet potato (among others) was the trademark of ancient Caribbean culinary scapes.

对从古代人类牙结石中回收的淀粉粒的分析为了解在不同时空尺度上可用和消费的淀粉植物谱提供了独特的见解。将这种方法学方法应用于来自不同加勒比岛屿的 60 个人的牙结石样本数据集，我们对该地区从前殖民时代到殖民时代的烹饪实践展开了新的视角。我们对所研究情景的植物文化解释与加勒比地区关于依赖木薯的植物食物系统的出现和演变的主要历史和考古叙述形成鲜明对比。相反，我们的分析强烈表明，各种以植物为基础的烹饪做法在整个岛屿上都在运作，并且随着时间的推移，